


Nowhere else I'd rather be

by Mother_of_Eevees



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Chocolatier Tendou Satori, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Getting Together, Homesickness, M/M, Married Couple, Post-Canon, Post-Haikyuu!! Chapter 402: Final Chapter: Challengers, Pro Volleyball Player Kageyama Tobio, Pro Volleyball Player Ushijima Wakatoshi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29441637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mother_of_Eevees/pseuds/Mother_of_Eevees
Summary: “Kageyama-kuuuuun! ”He looks up, and sees Tendou Satori. His hair is close-cropped now, no more dramatic spikes, and he is wearing a white apron with chocolate smears at the hem.“Ah, it is you! I’d know that frown anywhere! You’re just in time for lunch. Come inside, we’ll go up together.”Kageyama visits Tendou and Ushijima in Paris and makes a few discoveries.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Tendou Satori/Ushijima Wakatoshi
Comments: 12
Kudos: 171





	Nowhere else I'd rather be

Kageyama Tobio is not sentimental. He doesn’t get drunk and sing songs about the good old days, or flip through photos on his phone and get nostalgic for high school. Inarizaki’s motto, “We don’t need memories” feels appropriate to him. 

Despite this, he feels somewhat unsettled about spending the winter holidays on his own for the first time. Nobody to have new year’s osechi with, nobody to go to the shrine with - he’s not sure if there’s even a shrine to go to here in Italy. 

His team plays Ushijima’s in mid-November and both teams go out for drinks afterwards. Though they are opponents here, they were teammates on the Adlers for years, and are still members of the National Team, so they gravitate to one another at the bar.

“How are you enjoying life in Italy?”

Kageyama shrugs. “It’s all right. The food is different, but the volleyball is the same. How is Poland?”

“It is fine. I have lived abroad before, but every country is an adjustment. Are you going anywhere for the new year?”

“No, there’s not enough time. I haven’t really thought about it,” It’s a half-truth; he has thought about it, but prefers not to. “What about you?”

“I am going to visit Tendou in Paris,” He pauses. “Would you like to join us there?”

Kageyama frowns, trying to remember that name.

“The middle blocker from your high school team, yes?”

“Correct. He is now living in Paris. He went to culinary school and is now a chocolatier,” 

“And he doesn’t mind you offering his hospitality?”

“Not at all,” Ushijima smiles briefly. “If it makes you feel better, I can text him and ask him if your presence would be welcome,”

Kageyama looks uncertain. “As long as it’s okay with him, I’d like that,”  
Kageyama flies to Paris the day after Christmas. Tendou had sent him detailed directions on how to get to his apartment. He is walking along the street, looking at his phone, when he hears a voice that brings back memories of high school.

“Kageyama-kuuuuun! ”

He looks up, and sees Tendou Satori. His hair is close-cropped now, no more dramatic spikes, and he is wearing a white apron with chocolate smears at the hem.

“Ah, it is you! I’d know that frown anywhere! You’re just in time for lunch. Come inside, we’ll go up together,”

Kageyama follows him into the chocolate shop. They walk to the back of the store and Tendou opens a mirrored panel that is actually a door that leads to the entry of the apartments upstairs.

“We’ll take the elevator,” Tendou presses a button and the elevator door creaks open. Kageyama wheels his bag in, Tendou pulls the metal screen closed and pushes a button and the elevator slowly and noisily heaves itself up. Eventually they arrive at the top floor.

“It’s a long way, but it’s worth it for the view,” Tendou winks at him. 

The door is unlocked and they leave their shoes in the entryway.

“Waka-chan, I’m home, and I brought Kageyama-kun with me!”

“Welcome home, lunch is almost ready,” Ushijima calls from the kitchen.

“I’ll take to your room and you can leave your bag there,” Tendou says, showing Kageyama to a bedroom off the hallway. It is small, but sunny, and decorated with vintage travel posters of Japan and a modern photo of Mt. Fuji. Kageyama feels a small pang of homesickness, but is distracted by his stomach growling. Tendou hears it and gives a sideways smile to Kageyama. “Sounds like we’re just in time! Let’s see what’s cooking,”

The kitchen is not small, but Ushijima’s height and breadth makes it almost look like a toy kitchen. He’s wearing a “Kiss the cook” apron with the phrase translated into multiple languages and stirring something that smells like home. 

“Whatcha making for us, Waka-chan?” Tendou says, putting his hand on Ushijima’s shoulder and looking at the stove.

“Pork curry with udon and egg, in honor of our guest. Welcome, Kageyama,” he turns to Kageyama and nods. “Please, have a seat, and I will bring it to you,”

Kageyama turns and sees a table set for three.

“Would you like anything to drink?”

“Tea, please,”

Tendou has moved to help Ushjimia finish plating their food, scooping out the poached egg and putting it on top of the curry and udon. They move together in a practiced dance, reaching across, not bumping into one another, and soon all the bowls are on the table with hot tea for each of them. They all say “Itadakimasu'' and start eating; Tobio feels a small pang at doing the familiar ritual with people other than himself. He does it when he eats with teammates in Italy and has gotten used to their side glances and occasional raised eyebrows.

They make small talk about their various flights and the weather in Poland, Italy, and France. Ushijima and Tendou discuss dinner plans and shopping needs for the next few days. Ushijima mentions a leaky faucet that he fixed and Tendou squeezes his hand in thanks. Kageyama stares at their casual touches and intimacy and a question forms in his mind.

“You seem very comfortable here,” Kageyama says to Ushijima after they’ve finished most of their food.

“Well, I do live here in the off-season,”

Now Kageyama is truly confused. He looks back and forth at Ushijima and Tendou for several seconds. Tendou starts laughing at Kageyama’s confused expression and it takes him some time to catch his breath enough to wheeze out, “He doesn’t know, Toshi. You never told him?”

Ushijima cocks his head and looks at Kageyama. “Did you not know that Tendou is my husband?”

“No. Since when?”

Tendou laughs even harder. 

(That afternoon, he texts Hinata:

_Did you know that Ushijima and Tendou are married?_

The answer comes back moments later:

_Of course I did, Bakayama!_

He shrugs and puts the phone away.)

After the first day, Kageyama falls into a routine: early morning run with Ushijima, return in time for breakfast with Tendou. After Tendou goes downstairs to his shop, Kageyama joins Ushijima at a sports training center that has weight equipment and a space to practice volleyball. Enough high-level volleyball players are in Paris for the holiday that they can practice and even have 3-on-3 matches. 

Kageyama is still learning the international volleyball vocabulary, but a lot of the terms are similar enough across languages that he can make himself understood. During breaks, he pulls out his volleyball notebook and takes notes so he’ll know it when he hears a particular word or phrase in a game. 

They eat lunch at the training center, then head home, taking different routes each time and buying fresh ingredients for dinner. They stop at street vendors and buy roast chestnuts or crepes to keep their hands warm in the cold. One day they come across an old man and his son selling onigiri and Kageyama gets an idea.

Back at the apartment, he looks in the pantry and sees a mix of Japanese and French foods. He pulls out a box of curry bricks. “Tendou-san, where did you get these?”

“There’s a Japanese market not too far from here - Wakatoshi knows where it is, you two should go together. Have you not found one in Rome?”

“I haven’t really looked. I’ve just been eating whatever I find there,”

“It’s good to have a few things from home, especially since you’ve never lived outside of Japan before. Do you miss it?”

“For the most part no, but there are some things I haven’t been able to find in Rome.”

The next day, he and Ushijima go to the Japanese market. Kageyama walks in and looks around. To his horror, his eyes prickle with unshed tears and he sighs. He can’t believe he’s getting emotional about seeing the same brand of dish soap he used in Japan. He feels a hand on his shoulder and looks over to see Ushijima offering him a tissue. He waves him off, blinks hard, then grabs a shopping cart, which he quickly fills with everything from Power Curry to Hi-Chew. On the way to checkout, he sees Ushijima pick up the latest edition of _Shonen Jump_ and tuck it in his basket. They end up with so many bags that they decide to take a cab home instead of the Metro. Tendou has a spare backpack that he lends Kageyama so he can take everything back to Italy with him.

“If you can’t find a Japanese market in Rome, let me know and I’ll put you in touch with a friend of mine in Japan who sends packages to Wakatoshi a couple of times a year. Having a few things that taste like home really makes a difference when you’re living abroad.”

“Thank you. You’re being so nice to me,”

Tendou smiles. “Why wouldn’t I be nice to you? You’re my husband’s teammate and friend. I know how hard it is to get used to living outside the country you grew up in. And Toshi told me about your grandfather – if things had been different, you would’ve been my kouhai.”

He pauses. “Did you ever think about what it would have been like to play for Shiratorizawa?”

“I tried not to. It was easier once I was at Karasuno and could think about my own team and how to make it better.”

That evening, they’re relaxing in the living room together. A Japanese tv show is playing, but nobody is really watching it. Kageyama is reviewing his volleyball notebook and adding notes from the practice games he’s played in France. Tendou has his feet in Ushijima’s lap and Ushijima is resting his laptop on Tendou’s legs. Tendou is trying to read the _Shonen Jump_ magazine Ushijima brought home for him but his phone keeps pinging with text messages and he is typing back energetically.

“Toshi, let me up. I need to make a call,” Ushijima lifts the laptop and Tendou swings his feet off his lap. He looks over at Tendou and raises an eyebrow. “Is everything okay, Satori?”

“Yes, totally fine, just that thing we talked about, remember?” Ushijima nods and Tendou leaves the room. Kageyama hears him say “Everything’s on schedule, then?” and then the door shuts behind him and he goes back to his notebook.

The next day is New Year’s Eve. 

“We can watch from the roof – will you come with us, Tobio-kun? It’s quite a show, and then we’ll come downstairs and have toshikoshi soba.”

“Now that Satori has aged, he is more interested in the new year’s rituals,” Ushijima says with a slight smile on his face. Tendou turns to him in mock indignation.

“Toshi, you’re talking about me like I’m an oji-san!” Ushijima’s smile widens and he and Tendou look at each other fondly. Kageyama has the sense that this is a private joke between them and he feels a sudden pang. Something is missing from his life; someone in particular is missing from his life. 

“It’s mainly because I’m here and not in Japan – but eating delicious food and snuggling with my handsome husband is part of the charm,” Tendou says. 

Kageyama nods. “Sure.”

The gym is closed for the holiday, so they spend the day relaxing at the apartment, with a brief excursion to a Japanese restaurant to pick up the osechi ryori Tendou had pre-ordered. 

It’s almost midnight when they go to the roof, where chairs and a small heater have been set up. Ushijima and Tendou nod hello to the other residents, and someone offers them coffee spiked with something alcoholic. They sip their drinks and take in the view. The past few days had been cloudy, but tonight is clear and cold. 

Kageyama sips his drink, wrinkling his nose as he tastes the alcohol, and looks up at the sky. Hinata’s in Brazil, which is four hours behind him, and he wonders what he’s doing for new year’s. He hadn’t said anything about plans in their last few texts, but Kageyama assumes he’ll be at a party somewhere.

“One minute to midnight!” someone calls from the crowd, and a hum of anticipation starts. Someone offers him a party hat, which he refuses, and a noisemaker, which he accepts. Tendou is wearing a pair of new year’s glasses and is trying to persuade Ushijima to put on a party hat; he takes off the glasses and puts them on Ushijima instead.

“5…4….3…2…1…Bonne Annee! Akemashite ometedou! Happy New Year!”

The fireworks start and they have an excellent view. Kageyama hears corks popping, and soon he finds himself holding a glass of champagne. He toasts with Ushijima and Tendou, takes a sip then puts the glass down to text Hinata.

_Happy new year  
I know it won’t be the new year for a few more hours in Brazil_  
He swallows the rest of his champagne, then quickly types  
_I wish you were here_  
And hits “send” before he can change his mind and erase it.

Moments later, his phone buzzes  
_Turn around_

He frowns. _What?_

Another buzz.  
_Turn around_

He turns around, not knowing what to expect, and is not prepared to see Hinata, bits of orange hair peeking out from under a beanie, cheeks pink from the cold, a few steps away from him.

They stare at each other for a long moment, then he opens his arms and gives Hinata a big hug. Something clicks into place for Kageyema. _I want this_ , he thinks. _I want_ him, he realizes, and pulls away slightly from Hinata. 

“Can I kiss you?” he asks.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Hinata says, and pulls him down to kiss him. Hinata’s hands are cold and Kageyama gasps at the feeling of them on his neck. Hinata takes advantage of the gasp to deepen the kiss and suddenly Kageyama is warm all over and doesn’t notice cold hands or much of anything else, really.

When they break apart some moments later, Hinata pulls his hat off and waves at Tendou.

“Tendou-san, I made it! Thanks for everything!”

Tendou laughs and raises his glass in salute. He swallows the last of the champagne, puts the glass down and wraps his arms around Ushijima. “Did I miss the fireworks?”

Ushijima leans in and kisses him and Tendou smiles. “Ah, they’re just beginning.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are the fuel that keeps writers going - please leave one if you enjoyed this. :D


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